Cabbies have welcomed the move, saying that this will "encourage" drivers to stay on the roads at weekends and pick up late-night revellers.

The plan, spearheaded by Manchester city council and Greater Manchester Police, follows a successful pilot scheme using taxi wardens last Christmas.

The wardens ensured that people didn't try to get into cabs if they were too drunk and that there was proper queuing, with people feeling safe.

Now the council has extended the scheme, which will start on December 3 and operate every Friday and Saturday night until March 26, with extra weeknights before Christmas.

Each warden will have a high-visibility jacket and radio contact with police and the city's CCTV nerve-centre.

Two wardens will cover each rank to combat the problems of queue-jumpers, thugs and troublemakers. If successful, the council and police want to make the wardens permanent at weekends.

Coun Neil Swannick said: "Following the success of last year's scheme, we wanted to ensure that taxi marshals were introduced in time for the Christmas period.

"We want to make our city safe for residents and visitors and the taxi marshals provide a reassuring presence to passengers and taxi drivers."

Earlier this year, the Manchester Evening News revealed that "spy" cameras would be installed in taxis and private hire cars to tackle violence against drivers late at night.

Fear of being attacked had forced some cabbies off the road, especially at weekends when thousands of revellers are looking for a ride home after a night out clubbing.

But Manchester's Taxi Owners and Drivers association have welcomed the news of the taxi wardens return.

George Simms, secretary of the Taxi Owners and Drivers association in Manchester, said: "This is great, we are delighted to hear this and very happy with the council for making this happen. I am sure this will encourage a lot more of our taxi drivers to come out and work and also encourage the public to use our services.

"Its a horrible thing for our older drivers to come out and work at the weekends when they might be threatened by young people.

"Anything that can solve these problems for us, even in the short term, would be a great advantage for all concerned."

Sgt Jan Brown, of the Greater Manchester Police City Safe Project, said: "We are trying everything we can to make the wardens a permanent feature in the city centre."

Phil Burke, spokesman for Manchester's Pub and Club Network, said: "Last Christmas we saw a big increase in the number of people coming into the city centre because they knew the wardens were around."